It is an unfortunate time to have the name "Corona."
People aren't even drinking the beer.
Even worse, some people have the word as their first name.
An eight-year-old boy named Corona De Vries, from Australia's Gold Coast, wrote to Tom Hanks after finding out he and wife, Rita Wilson, were diagnosed with the virus while involved in a project on the Gold Coast.
He wrote to wish Hanks well, but in the end revealed a sad reality of his own life:
"I love my name but at school people call me the [virus]...I get very sad and angry when people call me this."
Hanks, moved by this, sent a letter back promptly.
.@tomhanks has written a heart-felt letter to a young Helensvale boy named Corona. The 8-year-old was being bullied… https://t.co/CZ84ECJKSi— 7NEWS Gold Coast (@7NEWS Gold Coast)1587626256.0
In the letter Hanks says the boy made he and his wife "feel so wonderful," and goes about highlighting the other definitions of the boy's name:
"...like the ring around the sun, a crown."
@7NewsGoldCoast @tomhanks @RitaWilson Tom Hanks makes every miserable day better! Be like Tom Hanks ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️— PöpöNöpönen (@PöpöNöpönen)1587713030.0
@7NewsGoldCoast @tomhanks @RitaWilson Living in the US, where our “president” is a juvenile bully and name caller,… https://t.co/34gdXFpnoa— Laura Persister (@Laura Persister)1587753756.0
@7NewsGoldCoast @tomhanks @RitaWilson God I love that man! A true shining penny and a wonderful human being. We sho… https://t.co/9Kry3QPsRi— Amy Cuckoo (@Amy Cuckoo)1587734901.0
@7NewsGoldCoast @tomhanks @RitaWilson @tomhanks you are kind.— Sally O'Donoghue (@Sally O'Donoghue)1587736236.0
@7NewsGoldCoast @_ElizabethMay @tomhanks @RitaWilson Tom Hanks is a bona fide A-1 National freakin treasure— MikeD42 (@MikeD42)1587742363.0
In addition to the kind words he typed, Hanks also gifted the little boy his typewriter.
"I thought this typewriter would suit you," Hanks wrote.
"I had taken it to the Gold Coast, and now, it is back – with you...Ask a grown up how it works. And use it to write me back."
@7NewsGoldCoast @tomhanks @RitaWilson God bless you Tom Hanks. You are a special guy ♥— JesusLivess (@JesusLivess)1587742476.0
@7NewsGoldCoast @tomhanks @RitaWilson How wonderful!— Emma Wright (@Emma Wright)1587744565.0
@7NewsGoldCoast @tomhanks @RitaWilson @tomhanks simply makes my heart sing.— Gooooooooch (@Gooooooooch)1587759869.0
@7NewsGoldCoast @tomhanks @RitaWilson This is why I love Tom Hanks!!— Amy Carney (@Amy Carney)1587778126.0
@7NewsGoldCoast @tomhanks @RitaWilson Great man ! Also a very kind and noble in his heart .— Nader Sahhaf (@Nader Sahhaf)1587798322.0
He signed off with his classic Toy Story phrase:
"P.S. You Got A Friend In Me!"
@7NewsGoldCoast @tomhanks @RitaWilson If I thought I couldnt fall in love with Tom anymore than I already am....❤❤❤— teresa (@teresa)1587845762.0
@7NewsGoldCoast @shesanfran @tomhanks @RitaWilson How kind, how sweet 👌😘— Elaina wilke (@Elaina wilke)1587879699.0
@7NewsGoldCoast @_ElizabethMay @tomhanks @RitaWilson Tom continues to be the good guy we've always knew he was.— Bryan McRell (@Bryan McRell)1587721783.0
@7NewsGoldCoast @sunshinek67 @tomhanks @RitaWilson I just love Tom Hanks.— SandyD (@SandyD)1587816710.0
@7NewsGoldCoast @tomhanks @RitaWilson What a lovely thing to do Tom— Libby Fletcher (@Libby Fletcher)1587714066.0
Hanks once again offers us a spot of brightness in a dark time.
He and wife Rita Wilson, who recovered from the virus, donated their blood to aid development of a vaccine for the virus.
It may turn out Tom Hanks will save the world, one typewriter and blood donation at a time.
The Tom Hanks film California Typewriter is available here.